An Australian federal politician has argued Melbourne’s grand prix should be axed because it bankrolls "Bernie’s billionaire bogan".
Kelvin Thomson told parliament that much of the fee paid by the Victorian state government to formula one ends up in the deep pockets of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone’s eldest daughter Tamara.
After watching a documentary about 27-year-old Ms Ecclestone, he said she uses a million-dollar bathtub, an elevator for her Ferrari road car, crystal balls for her bowling alley, and a massage parlour for her dogs.
"One thing I am absolutely sure of," said Thomson, "there are better ways to spend $50 million, year in and year out, than bankrolling Bernie’s billionaire bogan."
’Bogan’ is an Australian slang term for someone who demonstrates their lower-class background through their speech, clothing and behaviour.
This weekend’s Australian grand prix is seventeenth at Albert Park.